When Love Is Not Enough
by MaryRoyale
Summary: At the end of the War, Neville and Luna began dating, but their hectic Post-War lives have begun to affect their relationship. Neville/Luna. Break-Up!Fic, NO Happy Ending. Submitted for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Round 7.


**The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Round 7**

**Team:** Falmouth Falcons

**Author: **MaryRoyale

**Position:** Beater #2

**Prompts Used:** Clouds, Every cloud has a silver lining, countryside

**Title:** When Love Is Not Enough  
**Official Disclaimer**: The original characters of this story are the property of the J.K. Rowling. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. It is my contention that this work of fan fiction is fair use under copyright law. No monies were received for receipt of this work.

**Pairing:** Neville/Luna

**Rating:** T  
**Word Count:** approx. 1825

**A/N:** This round was "Sinking Ships"—all of the stories feature a couple breaking up. Some had an outside character acting as a catalyst, but for the Beaters there wasn't one. My instructions were to sink my assigned ship—let my ship loose from its moorings and then set it on fire like a Viking funeral. I was to take no prisoners and offer no quarter.

So this is a break up fic. There is no happy ending. I could have gone any number of ways, but I thought this way suited Neville's and Luna's temperaments. Sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, no matter how much you want things to work out, they don't.

/\/\/\

"Neville what on earth are you doing sitting in the dark?"

Augusta Longbottom's voice cracked like a whip and Neville jerked in his chair. The lights came on suddenly and Neville winced at the sudden invasion of bright, piercing light. He looked up at her blearily and she frowned down at him. Then her attention shifted to the letter on the kitchen table. She picked it up and her frown grew more pronounced.

"What's this then?" She demanded.

Neville didn't bother answering since his grandmother was already reading the letter and there was no point. Augusta's eyes narrowed and her lips tightened with displeasure.

"Sweden!" She barked. She turned her fierce gaze on her grandson. "What in Merlin's name is _she_ doing in Sweden?"

"Searching for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks… I think," Neville replied wearily.

"But your birthday is tomorrow!" Augusta's volume had increased and Neville winced again.

"I know when my birthday is, Gran," Neville said in a quiet, firm voice.

"Does _she_?" Augusta snapped.

"Gran…," Neville paused and then sighed. He wasn't actually certain. Luna might _not_ know it was his birthday tomorrow. "Just let it go," he muttered at last.

"Hmph."

Miraculously enough, Augusta left it alone. She bustled around the kitchen for a bit and then left him alone. Neville was not at all surprised when one of the house elves marched into the kitchen less than an hour after his grandmother had left.

"Master Neville is to be going to sleep _now_," the house elf said firmly with a steely glint in her eye.

"Yes Lolly," Neville replied and he allowed the elf to push him toward his bedroom.

"Lolly is not knowing what Master Neville will be coming to," the furious house elf muttered under her breath as they made their way up the grand staircase. "Staying up until all hours. Worrying Missy Augusta."

/\/\/\

No matter where Luna went in the world there was no place quite like the English countryside around Ottery St. Catchpole. Whenever she came back from a trip she made sure to spend some time outside and this time had been no different. Some people might have been disappointed to not have found the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, but not Luna. This last trip had given them invaluable information and Luna had discovered a previously unknown magical species. She and her father had a whole spread dedicated to Unnamed Magical Species #002345, designation undecided.

She lay down in the grass and tilted her head up to look at the sky. Hermione might have called it balderdash, but Luna felt as though the very hillside was hugging her—welcoming her back after her long absence. She smiled to herself at the thought and allowed her consciousness to float for a moment. The grass tickled the backs of her legs and arms and the sun beat down on her. She took a deep breath and held it for several counts. The air smelt of the earth, last night's rain, wildflowers and grass. The sky stretched out above her as an endless blue canvas sporadically dotted with perfectly fluffy cumulonimbus clouds.

One of the clouds looked like a _Mimbulus Mimbletonia_ in a pot. _Neville_. He was supposed to have met her at the International Port Key Office at the Ministry, but he sent her an owl with his regrets. There had been some sort of last minute cancellation of his Mastery tests, and when the Ministry had rescheduled they had scheduled the Mastery tests for the same time and day as Luna's arrival. Her daddy had muttered darkly about Ministry conspiracies, but Luna had only listened with half an ear.

After the war, Neville had startled her by sweeping her up in his arms and kissing her passionately in front of _everyone_. Luna had always had the gift (or curse, depending on the day) of being able to think about many different things at one time. Ginny told her that it gave the impression that she was spacey or distant, but Luna didn't worry too much about what other people thought. When Neville kissed her she had thought that his arms felt quite nice about her and that Neville was rather better at kissing than she had expected. She simultaneously worried about whether or not he was under some sort of spell, if this were some sort of strange practical joke, or whether the battle had driven Neville mad.

Everything had been such a blur after that. So much work had to be done and Luna had thrown herself into the relief efforts just like everyone else. The burgeoning relationship with Neville had consisted of stolen moments here and there; a lunch break in the Astronomy Tower when they helped to rebuild Hogwarts, or a walk in the moonlight at the Burrow or the Longbottom Estate while the Rookery was being rebuilt. By the time everything was somewhat back to normal, Luna and Neville had been dating for over a year. They fit together well and they complemented one another.

Now it was different. Luna had spent the last year and a half travelling all over the world on behalf of the Quibbler, and Neville had stayed in England working hard on his Herbology Mastery. Their owls to one another were spotty at best and usually consisted of one or two terse lines. It wasn't due to lack of feeling on either party—Luna loved Neville very much and he knew that he cared deeply for her—they both were just so busy that they got lost in their respective work.

Luna sighed. It was too nice a day to let her mind drift down that line of thought. She blinked and looked back up at the clouds drifting aimlessly above her.

/\/\/\

"The girl did RSVP, did she not?" Augusta's voice had taken on the acerbic tone that had grown distressingly common whenever she spoke about Luna.

"Yes Gran," Neville sighed.

The work for his Herbology Mastery had been gruelling; most days Neville was so drained that he barely remembered to strip off his robes before falling into bed. Once he had forgotten and Lolly had lectured him for an hour straight about how the magical compost had ruined the sheets. After that, no matter how tired he was, he managed to shrug his robes off before passing out.

All of that was passed them now. He'd received his certificate of Mastery in the post and his Gran had proudly hung it on the wall next to his mother's and father's official commissions as Aurors. She'd sniffled for a moment and then hugged him so tightly his arms went numb.

"I'm so proud of you Neville," she had whispered. Then she'd bustled with an air of determination.

That ought to have been Neville's first clue, but he was too busy basking in his Gran's praise. Augusta Longbottom had decided to throw a party to celebrate Neville's Mastery. She planned to invite several prominent wizards and witches in the field, including Professor Sprout who had served as his mentor. It would be the perfect opportunity, she informed him with a steely glint in her eye, for him to advance his career. Part of Augusta's plan was to have Luna there to show that Neville was a level-headed wizard. Neville wasn't exactly sure how that was meant to work, but he had learned long ago that it wasn't worth arguing with his Gran.

Augusta needn't have worried. Luna was three hours early for Neville's celebration. She was wearing a fascinating gown that appeared to be made of living plants in Neville's honour.

"Is that… those aren't carnivorous are they?" He whispered to her.

Luna giggled. "Don't worry, Neville. I fed them before I left the Rookery. They shan't eat any of the guests."

Neville's eyes widened and he stared at her gown for a moment. The vines moves sinuously and wrapped around Luna's arm.

"Every cloud has a silver lining," he muttered to himself.

"Really?" Luna peered up at him with luminous eyes.

"It's just a saying," he explained.

"Hmmm." Luna's brow furrowed slightly and her eyes took on a far-off look.

Over the course of the evening, he smiled and nodded and shook hands with so many people he wasn't quite sure he would remember them all. Luna's warm presence at his side had been at once both comforting and awkward, but that was how he normally felt whenever she was around. The feel of her small hand on his arm grounded him and he smiled at her when they had a private moment.

"I'm glad you came."

"D'you suppose there are beings that live within clouds?" Luna asked suddenly.

Neville blinked. "I don't know," he said at last.

"Hmmm."

/\/\/\

The rain slid down the windows and Neville looked out onto Hogwarts grounds. Everything was grey and dismal-looking, which suited his current mood. Clutched in his hand was a letter from Luna. The bird that had brought it was one that Neville had never seen before. He had known even before he saw Luna's flowing script that she had been the one to send it. The entire letter consisted of one word: congratulations. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Luna—the last time he'd kissed her. He still loved her, but it was no longer enough. He needed more… she needed more. He sighed heavily and moved away from the window toward his desk. He pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and picked up his quill.

_Dear Luna,_

_We need to talk._

_All my love, Neville_

For the next several hours he stood in the Owlery staring at the owl his Gran had purchased for him upon attaining the Professorship. Should he send it? Should he not? Mightn't it be better to just leave things as they were? No, it would be better to talk to her. He knew that she was feeling the same distance that he was. They no longer fit together in the same ways they had before. No matter what happened, he hoped that Luna would remain his friend. She had been a part of his life for too long for him to lose her completely. The owl, a self-important thing named Hercules, ruffled his feathers and hooted impatiently.

"Right," Neville muttered. He carefully attached the letter to Hercules' foot.

As the owl grew smaller and smaller in the sky Neville wondered if he'd done the right thing. The thought of any sort of confrontation with Luna made him vaguely ill. He still loved her and the thought of hurting her made him wish he hadn't sent the letter at all. Then again… it _was_ Luna. She might not mind at all. Neville wondered if she would want to remain friends. He hoped so, the idea of his world without Luna as some sort of presence within it would be much drearier than it ought to be. He would always love Luna; nothing would change that, but he could no longer be _with_ her.


End file.
